Grass cutting and shrub bed maintenance

The Council's grounds maintenance services are provided by Kier Street Services.

Grass areas

Highway grass verges and the majority of park and open space sites are cut 12 times per year during the growing season, this equates to a cut approximately every three weeks. However dependent upon weather conditions and any unforeseen circumstance such as mechanical breakdown the cutting interval may be extended.

Sports facilities on park sites are generally cut more frequently to provide a surface suitable for the sport being played.

On most areas during cutting the grass cuttings are left to fall back onto the area, however any grass cuttings that do spill onto adjacent hard surfaces are blown back onto the cut area.

Areas containing bulbs are not cut until 6 weeks after the last bulb has flowered, this helps to ensure the bulbs flower again the following year. When these areas are cut all cuttings are removed and the area is then maintained as a normal grass area until the bulbs start to shoot the following year.

Grass around lampposts, seats, etc is treated with herbicide to maintain a vegetation free area and this is usually done 3 times each year.

Weed growth within highway verges is not treated with any herbicides, as the environmental effect and cost of this cannot be justified.

On areas where grass abuts a hard surface, any overhanging turf is cut back and cleared every other year. 

Shrub beds

Most beds planted with shrubs receive 9 maintenance visits per year during the growing season to keep them predominantly free of weeds. Any vegetation growing from them is pruned as required to prevent obstruction to adjacent footpaths or roads.

To ensure that specified standards are maintained random inspections are undertaken by both the Contractor and the Council's Grounds Maintenance Technicians.

If any damage is caused to property or persons, all cases need to be referred directly to the Contractor involved.

To report any grounds maintenance issues or defects on or off the highway you can let us have the details by contacting Works Direct using the contact information provided on the right.